Fagel Attraction

"Fagel Attraction" is the twenty-third episode of the fourth season of the American television series Will & Grace. It was written by Jenji Kohan and directed by series producer James Burrows. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 25, 2002. Michael Douglas, Molly Shannon, and Barry Livingston guest starred.

In the episode, Will (Eric McCormack) files a police report after his laptop computer is stolen. He then meets a police detective (Douglas) who takes a special interest in his case as they go undercover—however, Will does not know that the detective participates in Jack's (Sean Hayes) therapy group for gays. Meanwhile, Grace (Debra Messing) is once again hassled by her kleptomaniac neighbor Val (Shannon) who opens a rival design business and prospers by stealing Grace's ideas.

Since airing, "Fagel Attraction" has received positive reviews from television critics. According to Nielsen ratings, the episode was watched by 14.3 million households during its original broadcast. Douglas was mostly praised from critics for his performance and received an Emmy Award nomination in the "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series" category.

Following the theft of Will's (Eric McCormack) laptop computer, detective Gavin Hatch (Michael Douglas) assures Will he will do everything he can to get his laptop back. Upon meeting Will, Gavin becomes attracted to him. Instead of asking him out on a date, due to fear of rejection, Gavin makes up an elaborate story that Will's laptop theft was part of a "gay laptop-theft ring." Meanwhile, at Grace Adler Designs, Grace (Debra Messing) is showing some designs to a potential client, Vince (Barry Livingston). He is fond of her work and would like to become her client, but reveals that he promised another designer he would listen to her ideas too. Grace becomes horrified when she learns that her kleptomaniac neighbor and nemesis, Val (Molly Shannon), is the other designer.

Meanwhile, Will and Gavin go undercover at a gay nightclub. Will believes they are doing police business for the "gay laptop-theft ring", but it is actually a date planned by Gavin. Jack (Sean Hayes), a friend of Will's, sees the two dancing and is dumbfounded. Jack and Gavin attend the same gay therapy group, and the two dislike one another, which leads Jack to tell Will all he knows about Gavin. At Will's apartment, Gavin reveals to Will that he is gay, after Will admits to having a liking to him, but that he is "barking up the wrong tree." Will, however, identifies Gavin's problem with asking men out and his knack of making stories up to spend time with them. Before Gavin leaves, Will tells him to face his fears.

At Grace Adler Designs, Val suggests she and Grace integrate their presentations in the same meeting with Vince, to which Grace agrees. In the middle of Grace's presentation, Val begins repeating the same thing Grace says. This leads to the two bickering, which prompts Karen (Megan Mullally), Grace's friend and socialite assistant, to pull them apart. She tells them that violence is never the answer, "but sometimes it is," then chops Val behind the neck, rendering Val unconscious. Karen tells Grace to go get Vince, who was out of the room, while she gets "rid" of Val's body.

"Fagel Attraction" was written by Jenji Kohan and directed by series producer James Burrows. The episode's title is a reference to the 1987 film Fatal Attraction which starred actor Michael Douglas. In March 2002, it was announced that Michael Douglas would guest star on the show, playing a gay detective who becomes attracted to Will. His role on the show was his first television acting role in almost 30 years, since his role in the police drama The Streets of San Francisco. It was also confirmed that actress Molly Shannon would reprise her role as Val, Grace's nemesis. This was Shannon's fourth appearance on the show.

While in negotiations, Douglas' staff approached the show's producers about a guest spot for Douglas and the sitcom's executives sought to work against Douglas' image. His management team wanted him to stretch beyond his usual roles, and believed a successful comedy show like Will & Grace would be a good way to do so. The show's producers said that Douglas was willing to go with any story line the writers could come up with. Executive producer and co-creator of the show, David Kohan said: "There's something great about playing on a person's iconic status. [...] Michael Douglas often plays these virile men, and the idea of making him a gay cop too shy to ask Will out was funny."